Sales stimulating panel



Jan. 20, 1953 J. A. .T. ELLISON SALES STIMULATING PANEL.

Filed Septl. e, 1949 JNVENTOR. John A.T. Ellison Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SALES STIMULATING PANEL John A. T. Ellison, Seattle, Wash.

Application September 6, 1949, Serial No. 114,253

2 Claims.

My invention relates to a sales stimulating device wherein groups of lights flash on and off periodically, and wherein several predetermined rows of said lights are lit intermittently at different intervals, and co-ordinated with the ringing of a bell, to indicate a winner.

The general object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive sales stimulating device which can be used in conjunction with retail selling to stimulate trade by providing an eye-catching criterion whereby prizes are given -to customers.

This and other objects will be readily apparent in the following detailed description of my invention.

The drawing is a diagrammatic view of the electrical hook-up of my invention.

In the practice of my invention a plurality of lights are mounted on a suitable panel and are preferably arranged in parallel spaced rows which I have designated by the prefix letters A,

which I show as 6 volts and 50 volts for purposes of difierentiation and not limitation. The 50 v.

circuit leads to a starting switch S810 and into what I term an actuator 13 which comprises a synchronous motor slowly rotating a brush arm I'd. Placed in radial alignment from the pivot of the arm M are three normally open switches X41, X42, and X43. In such a position these switches are closed once with each revolution of the brush arm 14.

The switch X-H prevents the arm it from coming to rest in alignment with switches X-l2 and X-l3 when S610 is opened. When S810 is open and X-l I is closed by the arm l4, current can flow from lead 32 to lead 33 and the motor of the actuator I3 will continue to run until the arm l4 moves past the switches. Thus switches X42 and X-l3 can never remain closed for more .than an instant so that subsequent relaysa-nd solenoids in the circuits controlled by these switches; to be hereinafter explained, will never be imperiled by an excessive current supply thereto.

Switch X! 2 controls the current to 'a, groundedsolenoid 2| in the stepper unit 18 while switch X-I3 controls the current to the solenoid 22 in the selector unit 26. I have chosen the terms stepper and selector arbitrarily to distinguish the two units. The solenoid 22 is grounded the same time.

through the lead to the plugging jack PJ and from there through a variable number of .ground leads 39 to the stepper unit l6.

All the lights have a 6 volt lead 31 thereto and each has a ground lead 38 entering the stepper unit 18. These ground leads 38 have respective terminals mounted at uniform interstices near the periphery of a fixed wheel in the stepper unit I8, with the terminals for each column of lights being adjacent one another. There are asmany conductive arms 25 as there are columns of lights, these arms being rotatably mounted at the center of the wheel so that the arms can contact the terminals of the leads 38. The arms 25 are driven by a ratchet unit the pawl of which is actuated by the solenoid 2|. The teeth of the ratchet wheel correspond in number to the ground leads 38 so that the arms 25 rotate an angular distance corresponding to the spacing of the terminals of the leads 38, upon each current impulse to the solenoid 2|, said solenoid being-energized each time the switch I2 is closed by the rotating brush arm Id. The arms 25 are continuously grounded so that each time they contact terminals lights are grounded through the corresponding lead 38 and grounded arm 25.

The ground terminals of each column of lights are arranged in different order about the wheel and the arms 25 are evenly spaced apart so that lights. in the same roware never grounded at Thus groups of lights are continually flashing on and ofi, one group at a time at an interval dependent upon the speed of the arm l4, each group having a light from each column but in difierent rows.

Each of the ground leads 39 has a terminal mounted on the stepper unit, these terminals being placed at evenly spaced intervals on the fixed wheel on a cirumference thereof different from. that of the terminals of the leads 38. A conductive grounded arm 26 is rotatably mounted with the arms 25 so that it can contact the terminals of the leads 39 periodically as it retates. upon intermittent actuation by the solenoid 2|. Accordingly the circuit to the solenoid 22 will be grounded and hence the solenoid energized as many times per revolution of the arm 26 as there are ground leads 39 plugged into the plugging jack PJ.

The selector unit 20 has two axially spaced brush arms 23 and 24 rotatably mounted therein on concentric shafts so that the arms are moved at slight angular distances upon each electrical impulse to the solenoid 22'. The arm 23 is geared to move much more slowly than the arm 24 and the drive for both arms is completed by a ratchet unit, the solenoid 22 being used to actuate the pawl of such unit. Three normally open switches X-l l, X-l5 and X46 are mounted with their terminal contact points radially aligned between the travel orbits of the arms. The brushes of the latter are so arranged that the brush arm 24 closes X-l4 and X-I5 and the brush arm 23 closes all three switches per revolution of the respective arms.

It is desired to have two of the rows of lights lit periodically, one at a time, at different intervals. I designate row B as the short interval row and row A as the long interval row. Normally open switches X-5, X-6, and X-I are provided which, when closed, complete the 6 volt circuit to the lights in row B. For purposes of clarity, I will hereinafter term these switches short-interval switches. Distingui hed therefrom, a set of normally open switches X-l, X4, and X-3, which complete the circuits to row A, are denoted as long-interval switches.

The switch X-M controls the current supply to the normally-open switch X4 and also a normally-open switch X-8 which in turn com letes the circuit 42 to the bell relay R3 to be hereafter explained. Switch X-l5 completes the circuit to relay R2 through a normally clo ed switch Y-l. The circuit to relay R-l is completed by switch X-l6.

When relay R-2 is energized it closes switches X-5 throu h X-8. The energizing of relay Rr-l clo es switches X-l throu h X-& and o ens switch Y-l. Relay R-3 when actuated closes the normally o en bell switch X-9 to complete the circuit to the bell 21 and opens a normally closed swit h Y-2 wh ch opens the lead 4 and thus sto s the motor of the actuator l3. As hereinbefore d scus ed this motor cannot sto if the arm II! is aligned with the switches X-I l, X-IZ an Yi3.

The function of switch Y-l is to open the circu t to re a R-Z when re av R-I is ener ized bv the arm 2| c o in switch X-l6 a well as sw che X-M and X-l5, so that row B cannot li ht with row A.

Fence whenever row A or B li hts, the bell 2! rings. and the arm l4 stops rotating. To start the device a ain a normally open reset switch R810 is provided which when closed actuates soleno d 22 and thus causes the corresponding arm 23 or 24 to move from ali nment with swit hes X-M to X-IG. The openin of the e switches opens the circuit to relay R-3 wh ch causes switch X-9 to open. stopping the bell 21, and causes the switch Y-Z to close so that the circuit to the actuator motor is completed and the arm H set to rotating again.

In using the system, and by way of exam le, the lights can be mounted adjacent a gasoline pump. When the attendant starts to pump gas he starts the actuator so that groups of lights flash on and off. If the purchaser is lucky one of the rows A or B will light up and the bell will ring. If row B lights up the purchaser can be given a prize of one denomination, value considered, and if row A lights he is given a more highly prized item. When the gas delivery is completed the actuator is stopped. The device can also be used in conjunction with a cash register, in which case the arm [4 would be set to move an interval each time a sale is rung up. It will be noted that the plugging jack permits the proprietor to have control over the frequency of the lighting of a row so that proprietors of goods with a small mark-up can set the device so that 4 there will be fewer winners than would be desirable for sellers of goods with a large mark-up.

The invention, the manner of its use, and the advantages to be attained therefrom are thought to be apparent from the foregoing detailed description of my now preferred illustrated embodiment. Minor changes may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention, and it is my intention that the hereto annexed claims be given a scope fully commensurate with the broadest interpretation to which the employed language fairly admits.

What I claim, is:

1. A sales stimulating panel comprising a plurality of lights arranged in rows and columns, said lights being divided into groups having a light from each column in different rows, normally open circuits to said lights, electrically actuated stepper means for periodically completing the circuits to said groups, one group at a time in the same interstice, an electrically actuated bell and a normally open bell circuit thereto, and electrically actuated selector means for periodically completing the circuits to a plurality of said rows one row at a time and at different intervals all greater than said interstice and for completing said bell circuit simultaneously with each completion of the circuits to a row.

2. A sales stimulating device comprising a plurality of lights arranged in rows and columns, said lights being divided into groups having a light from each column in different rows, normally open circuits to said lights, electrically actuated stepper means and a normally open stepper circult thereto, an electrically actuated selector means and a normally both open and ungrounded selector circuit thereto, an actuator means periodically completing the stepper and selector circuits, said stepper means periodically grounding said selector circuit and periodically completing the circuits to said groups, one group at a time in the same interstice, an electrically actuated bell and a normally open bell circuit thereto, said selector means periodically completing the circuits to a plurality of said rows, one row at a time and at different intervals all greater than said interstice, and also completing said bell circuit simultaneously with each completion of the circuits to a row and means whereby said actuator means is inactivated in a position wherein said stepper and selector circuits are open simultaneously with each completion of the circuits to a row so that the lights in the respective row will remain lit and the bell will continue ringing until said stepper and selector circuits are manually completed by a reset switch.

JOHN A. T. ELLISON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,858,060 Ricci May 10, 1932 1,906,260 Gibbs May 2, 1933 1,930,525 Levy Oct. 17, 1933 2,085,884 Wilkinson July 6, 1937 2,165,059 Koci July 4, 1939 2,296,508 Eckert Sept. 22, 1942 2,333,002 Goloborodko Oct. 26, 1943 

